Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1893 — A BIG TRAMP. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A BIG TRAMP.

Four Thousand Four Hundred Miles Through tho Soudan ami Sahara. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The most remarkable exploit in Africa in recent veers is that of Commander Monteil, who, in the early part of this year, completed a journey of 4400 miles, three-fifths of it in humid tropiical Africa and twofifths in the thirsty desert. He was welcomed in Paris upon his return as one of the greatest of African explorers. A month ago he described his journey to the Paris Geographical Society. By this achievement he has undoubtedly won a place in the front rank of African travelers. Monteil Is the first white mail to entirely cross the country lying below the great northern bend of the Niger River. He is the second white man to reach Lake Tchad traveling from the Atlantic Ocean. He lived four months near that lake in Kuka, the famous capital of Bornu, though Capt. MacDonald, the first to reaeh the lake from the west by ascending the Niger* and Benue Rivers over two years ago, was quickly turned out qf the country by the suspicious inhabitants. At Lake Tchad, Monteil reached the goal which Mizon, Crampel *»d two or three German explorers have endeavored to attain and and failed. According to his instructions he approximately followed the boundary jine of France's new sphere of interest in. North Africa, between thcSeuegal river, Lake Tchad and th. Mediterranean, as outlined in the treaty between France and Grea

Britain; and he made the journey without firing a shot or harming V native, though his route nloiOßt all the way was among Mohammedan peoples, who looked upon him witl suspicion, and in regions through which it was believed to be almost : impossible for a white man to pass. He crossed largfc regions that hac never been visited by a white man before, and other districts which no explorer has entered since Barth’s journey forty years ago. * >